Community News Focus

After nearly 20 years of serving up what it billed as "grandma's recipes," downtown landmark Mazzotti's Italian Restaurant has gone out of business.

In June, the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the restaurant's liquor license because of complaints about noise and code violations.

Owners Lenny Mazzotti, who opened the eatery in 1976 and used the recipes of his Italian-born grandmother, and his partner Susie Newman, a former city planning commissioner, decided to fight for the license.

In the meantime, they operated the eatery as an alcohol-free restaurant.

The owners' appeal for the license was denied, and they have requested an administrative hearing, scheduled next month.

But Newman said this week that the restaurant could not operate profitably with its only beverage sales being mineral water and cappuccino, and it closed last weekend.